Diffusion apparatus for the extraction of sugar from sorghum



(No Model.) 2. Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. A. HUGHES.

DIFFUSION APPARATUS FOR THE EXTRACTION OF SUGAR FROM SORGHUM. No. 395,145. Patented Dec. 25, 1888.

\ N4 PETERS. PhctcrLillwgrapher, Washinglon. o. c.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. A. HUGHES.

DIFFUSION APPARATUS FOR THE EXTRACTION, 0F SUGAR PROM SORGHUM.

No. 395,145. Patented Dec. 2 5 1888.

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N PETERS, Fhowilthugrzpher. Washington D. c.

NTTE STATES PATENT rricn.

HENRY A. HUGHES, OF RIO GRANDE, NElV JERSEY.

DIFFUSION APPARATUS FOR THE EXTRACTION OF SUGAR FROM SORGHUM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 395,145, dated December 25, 1888. Application filed December 27, 1887. Serial No. 258,967. (NomodeL) T 0 all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY A. HUGHES, of Rio Grande, Cape May county, New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Diffusion Apparatus for the Extraction of Sugar from Sorghum, of which the following is a specification.

lllyinvention relates to a new apparatus for extracting sugar from sorgluun-caneby diffusion; and it consists in the construction and arrangement of said apparatus, substantially as hereinafter set forth.

My said apparatus, brietl y described, c011- of a series of cells or vessels, which are heated, preferably, by means of a steam or hotwater j aeket surroundin all of said cells. In these cells is placed water. The cane, being previously d i sintegrated or shredded,is packed in perforated metal baskets, and these baskets are successively immersed in each of the cells in turn, so that the water in each cell is rendered constantly richer in sugar until a given density attained and the cane is gradually depleted of sugar as it is transferred from cell to cell of the series. Mechanism is provided for lifting the cane-baskets into and out of the cells and from cell to cell, and suitable pipes and stock-cocks allow of drawing off the water from the cells at will.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view showing the battery of di'lfusion-cells in plan view and other portions of the apparatus in horizontal section on the line X X of Fig. Fig. 2 a plan view of a portion of the diffusion-cells on a larger scale than the same are shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the apparatus on the line Y Y of Fig. 1. Fig. 4: is a vertical section in detail of one of the diffusion-cells and adjacent parts of the apparatus with the cane-basket in the cell. Fig. 5 is a vertical section of one of the diffusion-cells with the cane-basket removed, showing also the recei ving-trough c011- nections for the liquid after diffusion is completed.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

A is a vertical shaft, which at its lower extremity may form or be secured to the plunger of the cylinder B. The upper portion of said shaft passes through a sleeve or bearing, O, in which bearing the shaft has free vertical motion. The shaft is also free to rotate on its own axis in bearing 0 and cylinder 13. Communicating with. cylinder B beneath the shaft is a pipe, D, conducting water from a pump, as E. hen water is forced into cylinder B, the shaft is raised upward by hydranlic pressure assisted by the counterweight F, which connected to the upper end of shaft A by a cord or chain passing over the fixed pulleys G. \Yhen water is allowed to escape from cylinder ll, as by pipe D, after the shaft A has been elevated, as aforesaid, said shaftthen descends by its own gravity.

Supported upon shaft A is a metal skeleton frame-work, H, consisting of radial members I, connected by vertical members .T and horizontal circumferential members (not shown) at the extremities of said radial members and by suitably-disposed diagonal members L, the whole producing a light but strong polygonal or circular structurev Upon the flooring directly beneath the cir cumference of the frame-work IT is a diffusion-battery. This consists of an annular tank, M. The bottom N, Fig. 5, of this tank is elevated, so that an air-space is left be tween said bottom and the floor. The top of the tank M is covered by an annular plate, P, in which are circular apertures to receive the diffusion-cells 1 to 10. The top edges of tank M are flanged, and the covering-plate P is riveted steam and water tight to said flanges. The upper edges of the cells 1 to 10 are also flanged and are riveted steam and water tight to the plate P. The tank M therefore forms a jacket which ineloses all the cells 1 to 10. Into this jacket steam or hot water may be admitted by the pipe Q, in order to heat the contents of the cells, and conducted from said jacket by the pipe R. The p0sition and arrangement of pipes Q and R are not material, so long as they properly provide for admission and escape of steam or hot water into and from the tank or jacket M.

The cells 1 to 10 are preferably made of sheet-copper and with convex bottoms to facilitate withdrawal of their contents. \Vith each cell is connected a short pipe-section, S, which extends through the inner wall of tank or jacket M and has a stop-cock, T. The delivcry-orifices of the several draw-off pipes S are disposed above an annular trough, U, which surrounds an opening in the floor upon which the diffusion-battery rests, through which opening the shaft A passes. The cylinder B is supported upon a platform, V, directly below this opening. A workman standing 011 the platform V may convenientlymanipulate all the stop-cocks T, and so cause any cell at will to discharge its contents into the circular trough U. From trough U a pipe, conveys the sugar liquor to an evaporator, (not here shown,) whence, after evaporation, the material is conducted to such other apparatus as may be requisite for the obtaining of sugar in crystallized form.

Returning now to the frame-work H, upon the outer periphery of this structure are disposed as many swinging brackets or cranes a as there are cells 1 to 10. Each bracket consists of a vertical pivot-arm, Z), and an outwardly-inclined arm, 0, and at the end of each arm 0 aohook is provided. The pivot-arms Z) are supported and turn freely in bearings (Z upon the frame H. The distance between successive pivot-arms 1) equals the distance between the centers of successive cells 1 to 10, and the horizontal distance from the end of arm 0 to a point below pivot-arm I) also equals the distance between centers of successive cells. Hence, for example, shown on the left of Fig. 1 by dotted lines, the arm 0, having its pivot-arm 1) directly overthe center of cell 10, may be swung inwardly, so as to bring whatever is carried on the hook at the end of arm 0 directly over the adjacent cell, 1, and so for all other arms 0 and cells of the series.

At 6, Fig. 4, is shown a receptacle for the cut cane, which I term herein a cane-basket. It is made, preferably, of perforated sheet-copper, and is provided with a cover, f, of the same material, which may be secured in place by any suitable means, as by a bar, f, entering loops f on the edges of the basket. A metal bail, g, serves to suspend the cane-basket from the hooks of arms c.

Having described the construction, of my apparatus, I will now set forth my process of diffusion.

The sorghum-stalks are cut up in short lengths, freed from leaves, sheaths, and seedheads, and then shredded. These various operations may be accomplished in any suitable way; but I prefer to perform them by the agency of certain apparatus invented by myself, not here shown and not necessary here to describe. I begin by filling the cells 1 to 10 with water and heating the same to 100 Fahrenheit or over by means of steam or hot water admitted into the tank or jacket M. A cane-basket, which for present convenience I will designate as basket 1, is now filled with shredded cane. The shaft A being in its lowest positionthat is, the water being out of cylinder l3-the swinging bracket-arm 0 over cell 2, for example, is swung outward, and the basket 1 is suspended by the bail from the hook on said arm. ater is now pumped into cylinder 13, and shaft A is elevated sufficiently to allow the bottom of the suspended basket to clear the top of the tank M. Then the arm 0 is swung inward so as to bring basket 1 directly over cell 1. (Dot-ted lines, Fig. Vat-er is now allowed to es.- cape from cylinder B, the shaft A descends, and basket 1 is thus deposited in the water in the cell 1. The hot water then acts upon the shredded cane to dissolve out a portion of the contained sugar. Anotherbasket (which I will call basket 2) is now filled with shredded cane and brought to the battery. During the filling of the second basket or during any predetermined period of time basket 1 is allowed to remain in celll. lVhen basket 2 is ready or when the predetermined interval of time has elapsed, basket 2 is attached to the bracket-arm which has its pivot b above cell 1that is, to the arm which, if all parts remained in their present position, and assuming the operation already described repeated, would result in placing basket 2 in cell. 10; but this last is not done. Basket 2 being attached to the arm above mentioned, shaft A is elevated, and of course basketl is lifted out of cell 1. Now shaft A is rotated on its own axis in the direction of the large arrow, Fig. 1, so as to bring basketl over cell 2 next in succession on the right and basket 2 over cell 1 when its supporting-arm is swung inward. Shaft A- is then lowered with this result, namely: Basket 2, containing fresh cane, has been placed in cell 1, the water of which has already taken sugar from the contents of basket 1. shift-ed into fresh water in cell 2, which acts upon the now partially-spent cane therein. The same predetermined interval of time is, now allowed to elapse and a third filled basket (basket No. 3) is prepared. This is hooked upon the bracket which has its pivot over cell 9, and which would (if the shaft A were not again rotated) land this basket in cell 10 but the shaftis again raised and again rotated. The consequence is that basket 1, which has now been in cells 1 and 2, is placed in cell 3, basket 2 in cell 1 is placed in cell 2, and basket 3, containing fresh cane, is placed in cell 1. Other baskets are successively got ready and the same operation repeated until finally every cell has a basket in it. This naturally will come to pass when basket 1 has been successively in each and all of the cells and when ten baskets have successively been immersed in cell 1. Basket 1 will therefore have been subjected to ten washings, each washing in turn being with fresh water and each body of water extracting a portion of the sugar which remains in the cane after the preceding washing. On the other hand, ten baskets have in turn been immersed in cell 1. From the cane in each basket successively the water in cell 1 has dissolved sugar. Consequently the density of the sugar-liquor in cell 1 becomes greater and greater with each successive basket, and

Basket 1 has been finally, after the tenth basket has been received, the liquor in said cell may be dense enough or sufliciently clu rged with sugar to be ready for evaporation. This being the case, the stop-cock T in the tube S, connecting with cell 1, is opened, and the contents of that cell are allowed to escape into trough U, and so to pass to the evaporator or wherever else desired. Cell 1 is then cleansed from sediment and refilled with fresh water, and the contents of basket 1 now exhausted are thrown out and fresh cane put in. The re filled basket is, however, not placed in the fresh water of cell 1, but in the liquor of cell 2, because, although cell 1 before emptying had received ten baskets in turn, cell 2, obviously, had received butnine. Consequently the tenth immersion in cell 2 is made with the eleventh basket.

lVhile the operation above described is a continuous one in the sense already 'explained, each vessel in the series being discharged in turn and each in turn refilled with fresh water, it should be understood that I do not limit my invention to such a continuous process. It is quite practicable, for example, to fill ten baskets with. cane and place all at once in the ten cells. Then after a given time the baskets may be raised from the cells and the shaft A rotated, so as to allow basket 1 to be placed in cell 2, basket 2 in cell 3, and so on around the circle, and this may be repeated until each basket has been in each cell. Then assuming all the liquor in all the cells thus to be brought at the same time to the desired density, all stopcocks may be opened, so draining all the cells at once. This mode of operation is, however, less preferable in point of economy and expedition to the continuous process already described.

In another application for Letters Patent simultaneously filed herewith, Serial No. 258,966, I have fully described and claimed my aforesaid process. The subj cot-matter of said application is therefore herein disclaimed.

I claim 1. The combination of a series of independent cells or tanks with a steam or water jacket wherein said cells are set, a dischargeduct connecting with each cell and extending through said jacket, and a trough into which all of said ducts enter and deliver the contents of said cells, substantially as described.

, 2. The combination of a series of cells or water-vessels with a means (such as a steam or hot-water jacket) for heating said cells, a series of pivoted crane-arms, and a support for said arms above said cells, each of said arms being pivoted in said support directly above a cell and the length of each arm being such that when said arm is swung 011 its pivot its outer extremity may extend over the next adjacent cell, substantially as described.

3. The combination of a series of cells or water-vessels with a means (such as a steam or hot-water jacket) for heating said cells, a series of pivoted crane-arms, and a verticallymovable support for said arms above said cells, each of said arms being pivoted in said support directly above a cell, and the length of each arm being such that when said arm is swung on its pivot its outer extremity may extend over the next adjacent cell, substantially as described.

l. The combination of a series of cells or water-vessels with a means (such as a steam or hot-water jacket) for heating said cells, a series of pivoted crane-arms, and a horizontally-movable support for said arms above said cells, each of said arms being pivoted in said support directly above a cell, and the length of each arm being such that when said arm is swung on its pivot its outer extremity may extend over the next adjacent cell, substantially as described.

5. The combination of a series of cells or water-vessels with a means (such as a steam or hot-water jacket) for heating said cells, a series of pivoted crane-arms, and a vertically and horizontally movable support for said arms above said cells, each of said arms being pivoted in said support directly above a cell, and the length of each arm being such, that when said arm swung on its pivot its outer extremity may extend over the next adjacent cell, substantially as described.

(3. The combination of the annular tank M with cells 1 2 3, &c., therein, vertically-movable rotary shaft A, support ll, and swinging arms a, substantially as described.

7. The combination of the annular tank M with cells 1 2 3, &c., therein, rotary shaft A, hydraulic cylinder ll, receiving the lower end of said shaft, SUPPOll) H, and swinging arms a.,substantially as described.

8. The combination of the annular tank M with cells 1 2 3, &c., therein, delivery-pipes S, trough U, vertieallyanovable rotary shaft A, support Ill, and swinging arms a, substantially as described.

9. The combination of the annular tank M with cells 1 2 3, &c., therein, vertically-movable rotary shaft A, frame-work I l, and arms (I, having their vertical portions Z) pivoted in the periphery of said t'rame'work, substantially as described.

HENRY A. HUGHES.

itn esses:

D. ll. DRISCOLL, EDGAR GoonwlN. 

